Venture Debt
Growth-stage debt for venture-backed companies — extending runway with minimal dilution.
Image · Venture DebtVenture debt is a loan to a venture- or growth-backed company that complements equity, used to extend runway, fund growth or finance equipment between rounds — typically sized against the company’s cash position and most recent round, and structured with warrants. Matchpoint arranges venture debt from specialist venture-lending funds, private credit and banks for revenue-generating, institutionally-backed companies across the GCC, India and the UK.
As part of our Debt practice, Matchpoint Partners has originated and led $2+ billion of transactions across four continents, and every debt mandate is led by a partner, from first call to close.
The central mandate decision. Size debt to the company's recurring revenue, liquidity and next equity milestone. Venture debt should extend runway or fund efficient growth; it should not defer an equity problem without a credible repayment path.
What capital providers or counterparties will test
Annual recurring revenue, gross retention, customer concentration, burn multiple, runway, existing investor support, intellectual property, financial reporting and the probability and timing of the next round.
How the mandate is structured
A term loan or revolving facility may include an interest-only period, amortisation, warrants, covenants and a minimum-liquidity test. Drawdowns can be linked to revenue or financing milestones.
Execution priorities
Compare debt and equity dilution under base and downside cases, protect working liquidity and complete the raise while the company still has negotiating runway.
Prepare before approaching the market
- Monthly recurring-revenue and retention analysis
- Board-approved operating plan and cash forecast
- Cap table and investor-support evidence
- Debt service and downside liquidity model
Our role on venture debt mandates
- Term loans and growth facilities for VC-backed companies
- Extends runway and reduces equity dilution
- Typically structured with warrants; sized to cash & last round
- Specialist venture-lending funds, private credit and banks
Select transactions
Representative debt mandates led by Matchpoint partners.
Venture debt for a battery-technology company.
Research relevant to this area
Original analysis and decision frameworks from the Matchpoint team.
Venture Debt — frequently asked questions
A loan to a venture- or growth-backed company that complements equity — extending runway or funding growth between rounds, usually with warrants, repaid from cash flow or the next raise.
Typically revenue-generating, institutionally-backed companies with a recent equity round and a clear path to the next; we match the lender to your stage, sector and cash position.
Matchpoint originates senior, mezzanine, hybrid and structured debt from regional banks, international lenders and private credit funds, structured around your transaction. Tickets range from USD 5m to USD 500m+.
Private credit is non-bank lending from specialist funds, typically senior or unitranche, offering speed and flexibility. We maintain relationships with private credit funds active in the GCC and India.
Yes. We structure Sukuk and Shariah-compliant private credit, including blended structures pairing a Sukuk tranche with conventional debt.
Engagements ordinarily combine a retainer with a success fee. Terms are agreed in writing before work begins and calibrated to the mandate’s size, scope and complexity.
Most mandates reach a first term sheet within 30 days, depending on diligence readiness and structure; closing follows once terms are agreed.
A short, confidential scoping call and NDA; we structure the requirement and prepare materials, then run a competitive process across our 5,000+ investor and lender relationships, and negotiate to close — with a partner leading at every step.
Matchpoint Partners is based in the UAE and runs cross-border mandates across the UAE, KSA, India and the UK, with active deal activity in wider Europe, Singapore and the United States.
Matchpoint undertakes corporate finance, financing, M&A and fund-placement mandates from USD 5m upwards, subject to mandate fit, diligence, applicable regulation, capacity and a written engagement. The partner team has originated and led $2+ billion of transactions.
Use the enquiry form, email contact@matchpoint-partners.com, or call/WhatsApp +971 52 345 1119. Every mandate is led by a partner from the very first conversation.
Yes. Confidential information is handled under the engagement terms and any applicable non-disclosure agreement.
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Investment roles, structures and decision criteria
Explore the participants and transaction options relevant to this practice. Each entry sets out a discussion scope, decision checks, a paid engagement starting point and the specialist responsibilities to confirm.
Banks and Direct Lenders
Venture-Debt LendersCME-060 · Banks and Direct Lenders · Debt Lender
- Ecosystem role
- Debt Lender
- Related asset class
- Private credit
- Instrument context
- Senior debt
Mandate context: corporate, acquisition and working-capital financings. The structure and rights are established by the specific transaction documents.
Decision focus: Repayment capacity and financing conditions.
- Borrower authority, debt and use of funds
- Cash-flow repayment and covenant sensitivities
- Security, ranking and approval conditions
Scope to discuss: Lender advisory, independent credit underwriting and financing execution.
Paid engagement entry point: independent credit-screening memorandum; followed by underwriting, structuring or portfolio monitoring.
Illustrative GCC scenario: An illustrative UAE acquisition loan can be screened using the borrower's cash-flow case, existing obligations, proposed security and the lender's credit-approval requirements. This is a hypothetical decision example.
What should be agreed before a mandate involving Venture-Debt Lenders?
Define the investment or transaction objective, the authorised decision-maker, the evidence available, the requested deliverables and the next approval. Use the decision checks above to identify gaps; agree the workplan, delivery responsibilities and fee terms in writing.
Delivery and specialist boundary: Confirm decision authority, evidence access, conflicts, scope and applicable jurisdiction-specific permissions before execution. Legal, tax, fund-marketing, securities and Shariah questions require the relevant appointed specialist. Capital availability, investment returns and execution dates remain subject to assessment.
Discuss a paid scopeGrowth-Debt LendersCME-061 · Banks and Direct Lenders · Debt Lender
- Ecosystem role
- Debt Lender
- Related asset class
- Private credit
- Instrument context
- Senior debt
Mandate context: corporate, acquisition and working-capital financings. The structure and rights are established by the specific transaction documents.
Decision focus: Repayment capacity and financing conditions.
- Borrower authority, debt and use of funds
- Cash-flow repayment and covenant sensitivities
- Security, ranking and approval conditions
Scope to discuss: Lender advisory, independent credit underwriting and financing execution.
Paid engagement entry point: independent credit-screening memorandum; followed by underwriting, structuring or portfolio monitoring.
Illustrative GCC scenario: An illustrative UAE acquisition loan can be screened using the borrower's cash-flow case, existing obligations, proposed security and the lender's credit-approval requirements. This is a hypothetical decision example.
What should be agreed before a mandate involving Growth-Debt Lenders?
Define the investment or transaction objective, the authorised decision-maker, the evidence available, the requested deliverables and the next approval. Use the decision checks above to identify gaps; agree the workplan, delivery responsibilities and fee terms in writing.
Delivery and specialist boundary: Confirm decision authority, evidence access, conflicts, scope and applicable jurisdiction-specific permissions before execution. Legal, tax, fund-marketing, securities and Shariah questions require the relevant appointed specialist. Capital availability, investment returns and execution dates remain subject to assessment.
Discuss a paid scopePrivate Capital
Venture DebtCME-158 · Private Capital · Asset Class
- Ecosystem role
- Asset Class
- Related asset class
- Private markets
- Instrument context
- Equity or debt
Mandate context: equity, credit and private-company investment strategies. The structure and rights are established by the specific transaction documents.
Decision focus: Economic exposure and downside assumptions.
- Underlying business or borrower evidence
- Cash-flow rights, leverage and valuation
- Liquidity, governance and exit or repayment routes
Scope to discuss: Private-markets portfolio strategy, manager selection, diligence and transaction access.
Paid engagement entry point: allocation and market-opportunity study; followed by manager or asset screening and diligence.
Illustrative GCC scenario: An illustrative GCC private-capital comparison can evaluate equity and credit exposures on a consistent set of cash-flow, governance and liquidity assumptions. This is a hypothetical decision example.
What should be agreed before a mandate involving Venture Debt?
Define the investment or transaction objective, the authorised decision-maker, the evidence available, the requested deliverables and the next approval. Use the decision checks above to identify gaps; agree the workplan, delivery responsibilities and fee terms in writing.
Delivery and specialist boundary: Confirm decision authority, evidence access, conflicts, scope and applicable jurisdiction-specific permissions before execution. Legal, tax, fund-marketing, securities and Shariah questions require the relevant appointed specialist. Capital availability, investment returns and execution dates remain subject to assessment.
Discuss a paid scopeDebt and Asset Finance
Venture DebtCME-229 · Debt and Asset Finance · Funding Instrument
- Ecosystem role
- Funding Instrument
- Related asset class
- Private credit
- Instrument context
- Debt or asset finance
Mandate context: corporate, project, asset and acquisition financing. The structure and rights are established by the specific transaction documents.
Decision focus: Cash obligations and risk allocation.
- Pricing, tenor and repayment obligations
- Collateral, covenants and priority
- Sensitivity to delays, cash shortfalls and refinancing
Scope to discuss: Capital-structure design, financing options analysis and execution support.
Paid engagement entry point: financing-options and term-sheet assessment; followed by lender or investor process execution.
Illustrative GCC scenario: An illustrative Saudi funding proposal can compare repayment, security, covenant and refinancing terms on common cash-flow assumptions before specialist documentation review. This is a hypothetical decision example.
What should be agreed before a mandate involving Venture Debt?
Define the investment or transaction objective, the authorised decision-maker, the evidence available, the requested deliverables and the next approval. Use the decision checks above to identify gaps; agree the workplan, delivery responsibilities and fee terms in writing.
Delivery and specialist boundary: Confirm decision authority, evidence access, conflicts, scope and applicable jurisdiction-specific permissions before execution. Legal, tax, fund-marketing, securities and Shariah questions require the relevant appointed specialist. Capital availability, investment returns and execution dates remain subject to assessment.
Discuss a paid scopeAdvisory
Venture-Debt AdvisersCME-297 · Advisory · Intermediary
- Ecosystem role
- Intermediary
- Related asset class
- Advisory services
- Instrument context
- Advisory mandate
Mandate context: capital raising, M&A, debt and special situations mandates. The structure and rights are established by the specific transaction documents.
Decision focus: A defined scope and a reviewable decision record.
- Client authority, objective and required deliverables
- Named delivery team, evidence and scope exclusions
- Fees, conflicts, reliance and specialist handovers
Scope to discuss: Adviser selection, diligence coordination and transaction workstream management.
Paid engagement entry point: adviser-scope and diligence-workplan diagnostic; followed by coordinated workstream delivery.
Illustrative GCC scenario: An illustrative UAE acquisition advisory scope can define the transaction lead, decision gates, diligence providers, deliverable ownership and written fee terms. This is a hypothetical decision example.
What should be agreed before a mandate involving Venture-Debt Advisers?
Define the investment or transaction objective, the authorised decision-maker, the evidence available, the requested deliverables and the next approval. Use the decision checks above to identify gaps; agree the workplan, delivery responsibilities and fee terms in writing.
Delivery and specialist boundary: Agree the provider, qualifications, independence, permission, reliance rights and scope before appointment. Matchpoint's scope can cover adviser selection and transaction coordination. Legal, tax, audit, engineering, insurance, custody, administration, ratings and other specialist conclusions require the appropriately qualified and appointed provider.
Discuss a paid scopeFurther reading on diligence, market frameworks and applicable requirements. These resources do not verify an individual mandate or Matchpoint permission.
